WEEK OF February 5, 2009
WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM
Vol. 34, Iss. 17- 20 pages FREE - Take one
The independent student newspaper of Fairfield University
Inside: News
"One Seiser fits all" p. 2
Commentary
Out of the city, without a paddle
Fairfield sued by Bridgeport land owners after crew team leaves lease early by
"Rate Up!" p. 7
Campus Life
"Students find new friends at FUSA Fish Frenzy" p. 9
Entertainment
The snow fell softly on Knowlton Street in downtown Bridgeport, covering the streets and casting a grey hue on the nearby building. Months earlier, the aged factory was adorned with Fairfield regalia, the new home of the men's and women's rowing team. Mirror File Photo Only 16 months Back out boathouse: The University crew team left a boat house on Knowlton Street last Inside: later, no boats or equipJune. The owners now plan to file a breach of contract suit to recoup their investment. Cartoon ment can be found, and the building finds itself Now, the City of Bridgeport seems sue the University, citing a breach of contract. p. 7 abandoned yet again. intent to find out the true reason behind the Cumulatively, Piquette and Torres claim to have Last June, Fairfield team's departure, and to turn the one-time spent $270, 000 to transition the building, once athletics decided to abandon its pact with the goodwill pact and plan to revitalize the city a window factory at the height of Bridgeport's City of Bridgeport and move the men's and into a legal controversy. industrial movement, into a functional boatwomen's rowing teams to a facility farther south Fairfield graduate Ed Piquette '78 and house on the shores of the Pequannock River. down I-95, in Norwalk, citing "the landlords' former Bridgeport mayoral candidate Rick "It really is a travesty," Piquette said. "It failure to meet the conditions of the lease," ac- Torres, two residents of the city and landlords cording to a University press release. of the building on Knowlton Street, plan to See "University" on p. 5
Santa Clara dean tabbed as new academic vice president Fr. Paul Fitzgerald to replace Orin Grossman after this year by
"Driving more than just a bus: Reggae musician and Stag bus driver Mutti Lewis" p. 13
Sports
"Opportunity knocks" p. 24
Keith Connors
Lily Norton
Starting July 1, California-native Fr. Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J. will be leaving the land of sun block and surfing to be the new Academic Vice President of Fairfield. Fitzgerald is currently the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Santa Clara University, a sister Jesuit university, where he also completed his undergraduate studies. The search committee for the academic vice president was chaired by Fairfield Executive Vice President Billy Weitzer and consisted of 11 other individuals, including student representatives, who have been working several months to find someone for the position. Fitzgerald said he had known of Fairfield for some time and was very interested when he first heard the position was available. He mentioned Fairfield's good reputation among the Jesuit community and his interaction with alumni as two reasons he's excited to come work at for the University. In the campus announcement Tuesday announcing the selection of Fitzgerald, University President Fr. Jeffrey von Arx said, "I believe that we have made an excellent selection in Fr. Fitzgerald, who combines impressive scholarship with extensive experience as an administrator and faculty member at Santa Clara, where the hiring, retention and promotion of faculty, as well as the promotion of increased diversity within the faculty, have been his principal responsibilities," he said. "I have every confidence that Fr. Fitzgerald will be of great assistance as we continue to implement our University Plan."
Just click it! www.fairfieldmirror.com
See "Fairfield" on p. 2
Contributed Photo
Welcome to Fairfield!: Fitzgerald (center) will join the University as the new AVP.
An introduction to Fitzgerald by
Lily Norton
The Mirror: How did you hear of Fairfield University? Have you known about it for some time? Paul Fitzgerald: Fairfield University has long enjoyed a very good reputation among Jesuits and lay folks at Jesuit high schools and universities across the country. The first time I met and got to know Fairfield alumni was in the late 1980s when I arrived in Cambridge, Mass. for graduate studies in theology. Fairfield alumni recalled fondly the tight-knit community, the dedication of the faculty to student learning, and, of course, the great beauty of the campus. Alumni also spoke of the deep, life-long friendships that they formed at Fairfield. More recently, as a member of the religious studies department at Santa Clara, I have read the scholarly work of such Fairfield faculty as Paul Lakeland, John Thiel and Nancy Dallavalle or heard them present papers
See "Q&A" on p. 3
Check out video of the old Expanded coverage of Game day sports stories Knowlton Street boathouse the new Academic Vice in Bridgeport President